Honeycomb uncapping machine

ABSTRACT

A HONEYCOMB UNCAPPING MACHINE PROVIDING WITH MECHANICAL LOADING MEANS.

June 1971 R. DAVIDSON. JR

HONEYCOMB UNCAPPING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 18, 1968 15' iiiINVENTDR ROBE WWWSON INR.

June 1, 1971 R. DAVIDSON. JR

HONEYCOMB UNCAPPING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 18, '1968 viiROBERT nnvmsolv mm.

BY )W JMM MW United States Patent 3 rm. c1. Alllk 59/00 US. Cl. 6-12 4Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A honeycomb uncapping machine providedwith mechanical loading means.

The invention relates to honeycomb uncapping machines, and in particularto mechanical means for loading such machines.

Commercially produced honeycombs are formed within rectangular framesmade of wood, one side of each frame being extended at both ends so asto form two lugs whereby the frame can be supported in a vertical planewithin a beehive or on a storage rack.

One known machine for uncapping honeycombs formed within frames of thetype hereinbefore described, comprises rectilinear guides adapted toslidably support the frames in a vertical plane; two horizontal knivesdisposed one on each side of the vertical plane; and a plurality ofhorizontal bars supported between two endless chains, and adapted tomove the frames, which are placed between the horizontal bars by hand,downwardly between the two knives.

Manual loading of the known machine is inefficient and expensive, as themachine must be tended constantly, and a certain degree of skill isrequired to place the frames between the horizontal bars whilst saidbars are moving.

The object of the present invention is the provision of a machinesimilar in general construction to the known machine, but fitted withmechanical means for placing the frames between the horizontal bars.

According to the invention, a machine for uncapping honeycombs formedwithin frames of the type hereinbefore described, comprises rectilinearguides adapted to slidably support the frames in a vertical plane; twohorizontal knives disposed one on each side of the vertical plane; aplurality of horizontal bars supported between two endless chains, andadapted to move the frames downwardly between the two knives; inclindedrails disposed adjacent the upper ends of the rectilinear guides andadapted to support a plurality of the frames by means of the lugsprovided thereon, the frames being disposed in parallel vertical planesand being influenced by gravity to slide down the inclined rails so asto engage the rectilinear guides; and means for controlling movement ofthe frames down the inclined rails so that the frames will be plawdbetween the horizontal bars.

Preferably, the means for controlling movement of the frames down theinclined rails, comprise two cams secured to a horizontal shaft adaptedto be rotated by the two endless chains supporting the horizontal bars,the cams being adapted to engage the side of each frame that is extendedto form the two lugs whereby the frame is supported by the inclinedrails.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way ofexample only, with reference to the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is sectioned side elevation of a machine for uncapping honeycombsformed within frames of the type hereinbefore described;

3,581,324 Patented June 1, 1971 FIGS. 2 and 3 are sectioned sideelevations of mechanical means for loading the machine; and

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the mechanical means for loading the machine.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a machine 10 for uncappinghoneycombs formed within frames 11 of the type hereinbefore described,comprises rectilinear guides 12 adapted to slidably support the frames11 in a vertical plane; two horizontal knives 13 disposed one on eachside of the vertical plane; a plurality of horizontal bars 14 supportedbetween two endless chains 15, and adapted to move the frames 11downwardly between the two knives 13; inclined rails 16 disposedadjacent the upper ends of the rectilinear guides 12 and adapted tosupport a plurality of the frames 11 by means of the lugs providedthereon, the frames 11 being disposed in parallel vertical planes andbeing influenced by gravity to slide down the inclined rails 16 so as toengage the rectilinear guides 12; and means 17 for controlling movementof the frames 11 down the inclined rails 16 so that the frames 11 willbe placed between the horizontal bars 14.

The means 17 for controlling movement of the frames 11 down the inclinedrails 16, comprise two cams 18 secured to a horizontal shaft 19 adaptedto be rotated by the two endless chains 15 supporting the horizontalbars 14, the cams 18 being adapted to engage the side of each frame 11that is extended to form the two lugs whereby the frame 11 is supportedby the inclined rails 16.

The two endless chains 15 supporting the horizontal bars 14 run onsprockets 20 secured to the shaft 19, on sprockets 21 secured to a driveshaft 22 disposed parallel to and vertically below the shaft 19, and onsprockets 23 secured to a shaft 24 disposed parallel to and rearwardlyof the shaft 19.

Whilst the frames 11 are being moved downwardly by the horizontal bars14, they are held against the rectilinear guides 12 by means of tworubber tyred wheels 25 rotatably mounted on a horizontal shaft 26, whichis supported by two radius arms 27, and is adapted to be moved towardsthe rectilinear guides 12 by means of two tension springs 28.

The two knives 13 are supported by hollow, adjustable members 29 throughwhich steam can be passed to heat the knives 13, and the portions of thehoneycombs cut away by the knives 13 fall to the bottom of the machine10 where they are collected for further processing.

Two endless chains 30 adapted to engage the two lugs provided on eachframe 11, and to carry each frame 11 to an unloading point at the rearof the machine 10, are disposed below the endless chains 15.

The two endless chains 30 run on sprockets 31 secured to a horizontaldrive shaft 32, and on sprockets 33 secured to a horizontal shaft 34.

In operation, a plurality of the frames 11 are placed on the inclinedrails 16, and the cams 18 then ensure that the frames 11 are placedaccurately between the horizontal bars 14.

Loading of the machine 10 thus requires less skill than hitherto, andthe machine 10 is as a consequence more efficient and less expensive tooperate.

I claim:

1. A machine for uncapping a honeycomb formed within a rectangular frameone side of which is extended at both ends to form a pair of lugs witheach lug extending outwardly from the adjacent side of the frame fordependently supporting the frame in a vertical plane in a beehive or ona storage rack, the machine comprising a pair of horizontally spacedinclined rails arranged for slidably supporting the two lugs formed bythe extended side of the frame so that the frame is supported by saidinclined rails in a vertical plane, two vertically extendinghorizontally spaced rectilinear guides having the upper ends thereofdisposed adjacent the lower ends of said inclined rails, saidrectilinear guides arranged to engage the vertically extending sides ofthe frame for slidably supporting the frame in a vertical plane,resiliently biased means for urging the two vertically extending sidesof the frame into frictional engagement with said rectilinear guides, afirst horizontally arranged shaft located at the upper end of saidrectilinear guides, a second horizontally arranged shaft located at thelower end of said rectilinear guides, a pair of spaced sprocketspositioned on each of said first and second shafts, a pair ofhorizontally spaced endless chains each arranged to run on one of saidsprockets on said first shaft and on said second shaft, at least onehorizontally arranged bar extending between and secured at its ends tosaid endless chains and arranged to engage the extended side of theframe for pushing the frame downwardly within said rectilinear guides,means for controlling gravitational movement of the frame on saidinclined rails for positioning the frame between said rectilinear guidesand beneath said horizontally arranged bar for moving the frame fromsaid inclined rails into engagement with said rectilinear guides, andtwo horizontally arranged knives disposed in parallel relationship andeach located adjacent the lower ends of said rectilinear guides andarranged to uncap the honeycomb formed within the frame as the frame ismoved downwardly through said rectilinear guides by said horizontallyarranged bar.

2. A machine, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for urging thetwo vertically extending sides of the frame into frictional engagementwith said rectilinear guides comprise a third horizontally arrangedshaft located between and in generally parallel relationship with saidfirst and second shafts and spaced laterally from said rectilinearguides, a pair of spaced radius arms pivotally supporting said thirdshaft, a pair of spaced rubber tyred wheels rotatably mounted on saidthird shaft, and a pair of tension springs arranged to resiliently biassaid rubber tyred Wheels toward said rectilinear guides so that saidrubber tyred wheels engage the vertically extending sides of the frameas it passes downwardly through said rectilinear guides.

3. A machine, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means forcontrolling gravitational movement of the frame on said inclined railscomprise two spaced cams positioned on said first horizontal shaft forrotation therewith, said cams arranged to engage the extended side ofthe frame having the lugs at positions spaced inwardly from the twoadjacent sides of the frame which are positioned vertically on saidinclined rails and within said rectilinear guides.

4. A machine, as set forth in claim 1, wherein a second pair of spacedendless chains arranged to extend generally horizontally and outwardlyfrom the lower end of said rectilinear guides with each of said secondendless chains aligned below a different one of said endless chainssupporting said horizontal bar, said second endless chains arranged tosupport the lugs of a frame received from said rectilinear guides and totransport the frame outwardly from the lower end of said rectilinearguide to an unloading position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,807,034 9/1957 Fox 6l23,068,496 12/1962 Owens 612 3,388,409 6/1968 Hettrick 612 LUCIE H.LAUDENSLAGER, Primary Examiner

